Heather's Happy Haven

Laundry Soap Recipe

2011-12-13T09:35:00.000-07:00

This isn't a food recipe, but one I want to remember and try.

Laundry Soap Recipe:

A box of borax, washing soda, baking soda, 3 bars of Fels Naptha, 2 small containers of oxiclean.(grate the Fels Naptha bars with a cheese grater) & mix all together. Use a large 5 gallon bucket, it makes it easier.

Carmelized Acorn Squash

2011-11-19T13:38:00.002-07:00

Caramelized Acorn Squash (link to Ina's recipe)
4 lbs acorn squash
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut acorn squash in half, scoop out seeds, and cut into wedges falling natural shape of squash.
Peel skin and place all wedges into a large bowl.
Pour melted butter over wedges and toss to coat.
Place wedges onto parchment-lined baking sheet and evenly distribute brown sugar mixture, turning wedges over and coating underside, as well.
Roast for 30 to 45 minutes, until the squash is tender and the glaze caramelizes.
While roasting, turn the squash over half way through to be sure it browns evenly.
Enjoy!

Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce

2011-11-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

½ of an Orange

2 Cups Water
1 Granny Smith Apple

3 Cups Fresh Cranberries
1 ¼ Cups Sugar

¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Preparation:
Squeeze the juice from the orange and set the juice aside. Remove and discard the
membrane from inside the orange rind and cut the rind into a small dice. In a small
saucepan over high heat, combine the rind and the water and bring to a boil. Cook for
10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Peel, core and quarter the apple. Cut into ½-inch dice and placed in a saucepan. Sort
the cranberries, discarding any soft ones. Add the apples along with the orange juice, orange
rind, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan partially. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, the apple
is tender and the cranberries have burst, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer the cranberry sauce to a heatproof bowl and let cool for 1 hour before serving. Or
cover and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before serving.
Makes about 3 ½ to 4 cups.

Cranberry Salad

2011-11-16T11:58:00.002-07:00

Ingredients:
1 Package Cranberries
1 Cup Sugar
1 Can Crushed Pineapple
3 Cups Mini Marshmallows
2 Cups Sweetened Whipped Cream
2 Cups Cubed Honey Crisp Apples
1 Banana

Preparation:
In a food processor mix the cranberries and the sugar, and set in
refrigerate overnight. Mix together the cranberry mixture, canned pineapple
with juice, marshmallows, whipped cream, apple and banana.

Cranberry Salsa

2011-11-16T11:57:00.003-07:00

Cranberry Salsa
Ingredients:
1 Package Fresh Cranberries
1-2 Jalapenos
3 Green Onions
2 Tablespoon Cilantro
¼ Teaspoon Cumin
½-¾ Cup Sugar

Preparation:
Chop all ingredients except sugar in a food processor. Stir in
sugar to taste. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Serve on a cracker
with a spread of cream cheese, and salsa on top.

Hot Cranberry Drink

2011-11-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 Quarts Apple Cider
6 Cups Cranberry Juice
¼ Cup Sugar
5-6 Cinnamon Sticks

Preparation:
Pour all ingredients in a stock pot and bring to a boil. Serve
in a glass and enjoy the holiday season.

Canning Apple Sauce

2011-11-04T13:20:00.000-06:00

FOUND HERE

How to Make Homemade Applesauce

Pdf print version

You think making and canning your own applesauce is difficult or expensive? Not at all! Here's how to do it, complete instructions in easy steps and completely illustrated. The applesauce will taste MUCH better than anything you've ever had from a store, and by selecting the right apples, it will be so naturally-sweet that you won't need to add any sugar at all. Plus, there is no need for any additives, preservatives or chemicals. Prepared this way, the jars have a shelf life at room temperature of 2 to 3 years, and require no special attention. And of course, you can freeze the applesauce instead (it keeps indefinitely in a good freezer).
I learned years ago how to make jam and applesauce watching my mother and grandmother when I was a child. My grandmother and mother always made it, and now if I want it, I've got to make it myself (funny how that growing up stuff works?)
And here's how you bottle, too. If you don't want to bottle the applesauce, but just want some fresh for a meal; or you don't have any food mill, food sieve, etc. see how to make applesauce for a meal (not bottling it) with NO special equipment. And once you've made the apple sauce, why not take some of it and make apple butter? If you'd rather make pear sauce, see this page!

Directions for Making Applesauce

Ingredients and Equipment

Apples (see step 1)
Cinnamon
Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
Lid lifter (has a magnet to pick the lids out of the boiling water where you sanitize them. ($2 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates)
Jar funnel ($2 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates)
At least 1 large pot (at least 8-quart size or larger)
Large spoons and ladles
Ball jars (Publix, Kroger, other grocery stores and some "big box" stores carry them - about $8 per dozen quart jars including the lids and rings)

1 Water Bath Canner (a huge pot with a lifting rack to sanitize the jars of applesauce after filling (about $30 to $35 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates) You CAN use a large pot instead, but the canners are deeper, and have a rack top make lifting the jars out easier. If you plan on canning every year, they're worth the investment.
Sieve:
- KitchenAid with the Sieve/grinder attachments ($370) OR
- a Foley Food Mill ($25) OR
- if you are REALLY into a tedious, time-consuming method, a simple metal sieve.

Recipe and Directions

Step 1 - Selecting the apples

The most important step! You need apples that are sweet - NOT something like Granny Smith's. Yeah, I know you like them (why do sweet women like sour apples???) and even if I did, they still wouldn't make good applesauce - you'd have to add a lot of sugar.
Instead, choose apples that are naturally sweet, like Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Winesap, McIntosh, Yellow Delicious, Mutsu and always use a mixture - never just one type. This year I used a mixture of Fuji (30%), Yellow Delicious (20%), Gala (20%), Winesap (10%) , McIntosh (10%) and Jonathon (10%). This meant it was so sweet I did not need to add any sugar at all. And the flavor is great! The Fuji's and Gala's give it an aromatic flavor! Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are also excellent, sweet, flavorful apples.
"Seconds", "Culls" and "Drops"
Another important tip at orchards is to ask for "seconds", "culls" or "drops". These are smaller apples, sometimes odd shapes or with imperfect appearance. But there're perfect for applesauce and apple butter and uses cost 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the top grade apples. They're usually kept in the back, so you will have to ask for them. They also go quickly, so you may want to call ahead in the day to have some set aside for you. Not all orchards offer "seconds", nut they're a bargain when you can get them!

Step 2 - How many apples and where to get them

You can pick your own, or buy them at the grocery store. But for large quantities, you'll find that real* farmer's markets, like the Farmer's Market in Forest Park, Georgia have them at the best prices. In 2004, they were available from late September at $11 to $16 per bushel. Prices this year have been in the $14 to $20 range at the real farmer's markets, like the Atlanta-Forest park Georgia State Farmer's Market and orchards in the southeast of the U.S. Weather and crop conditions affect the prices greatly from year to year.

You'll get about 12 to 16 quarts of applesauce per bushel of apples. Count on 12 or 13 quarts per bushel.

* - not the cutesy, fake farmer's markets that are just warehouse grocery stores that call themselves farmer's markets.

Step 3 - Wash the jars and lids

Now's a good time to get the jars ready, so you won't be rushed later. The dishwasher is fine for the jars; especially if it has a "sanitize" cycle, the water bath processing will sanitize them as well as the contents! If you don't have a dishwasher with a sanitize cycle, you can wash the containers in hot, soapy water and rinse, then sanitize the jars by boiling them 10 minutes, and keep the jars in hot water until they are used. Leave the jars in the dishwasher on "heated dry" until you are ready to use them. Keeping them hot will prevent the jars from breaking when you fill them with the hot applesauce.
Put the lids into a pan of hot, but not quite boiling water (that's what the manufacturer's recommend) for 5 minutes, and use the magnetic "lid lifter wand" to pull them out.

Step 4 -Wash and chop the apples!

I'm sure you can figure out how to wash the apples in plain cold water.

Chopping them is much faster if you use one of those apple corer/segmenters - you just push it down on an apple and it cuts it into segments. Note: You do not peel the apples! You will put the entire apple into the pot to cook.

Step 5 - Cook the Apples

Pretty simple put about 1 inch of water (I used either filtered tap water or store brand apple juice) on the bottom of a huge, thick-bottomed pot. Put the lid on, and the heat on high. When it gets really going, turn it to medium high until the apples are soft through and through.

Step 6 - Sieve the cooked apples

There are several ways to squish the apples through a sieve, either through a :

hand-cranked Foley food mill (about $20 see this page or
A Villaware, Roma or Oxo strainer (about $60, see further down the page) or
through a KitchenAid sieve/grinder (with the attachments, about $300, but it lasts a lifetime and is fast and easy to use - I can make 100 quart jars per day with one of these).

I found a pretty good deal (about half price) on remanufactured KitchenAid's with a 1 year warranty - see the links above.
You CAN also use a simple metal sieve, but it will be VERY tedious, hard work - if you plan on making applesauce every year, spring for the 25 bucks for the foodmill.
Basically, you put the cooked apples (including the skins, seeds, cores and stems) into the top hopper, and use the wooden plunger to push it in.

NOTE for those on a VERY tight budget or making just a small batch of applesauce

You CAN make applesauce without a food processor or a $25 foodmill, but it's much more work, and really only suitable for making a quart or two of applesauce at a time... but it can be done - Click here for the directions on making applesauce with NO special equipment
The device pushes it against a sieve and the applesauce comes out underneath (in the chrome pot in the photo at left ), and the debris shoots out the side into the sink - see photo below.

If the idea of shelling out about $200 for KitchenAid, plus the additional $120 for the grinder / sieve attachment doesn't appeal to you, you can still make applesauce using a Foley Food Mill, pictured at right. You can order one here for much less than I've seen them elsewhere (see the link below the picture at right and click for more info). Obviously, you have to crank it by hand, which is ok if you have child labor and aren't making a lot. If you are only making a dozen or two jars or don't have other uses for a KitchenAid, then this is a practical alternative. There is also a VERY nice, versatile strainer pictured at far right! Click on the links there or see the bottom of this page for more information and to order! The VillaWare model can handle higher volumes than a Foley food mill (without giving you cramps!)
To see a greater variety of strainers in other types, sizes, and prices, click here!

Step 7 - Season and keep the applesauce hot

Put the applesauce into a large pot. Add cinnamon to taste. You should not need to add any sugar.
The applesauce does not need any further cooking; just keep it hot until you get enough made to fill the jars you will put into the canner (Canners hold seven jars at once, whether they are quart or pint size)

Step 8 - Fill the jars and process them in the water bath

Fill them to within ¼-inch of the top, wipe any spilled applesauce of the top, seat the lid and gently tighten the ring around them. Put them in the canner and keep them covered with at least 1 inch of water. Get the canner back to a full boil and begin timing. If you are at sea level (up to 1,000 ft) boil pint jars for 15 minutes and quart jars for 20 min. If you are at an altitude of 1,000 feet or more, see the chart below
.

Recommended process time for applesauce in a boiling-water canner.
		Process Time at Altitudes of
Quart Size	0 - 1,000 ft	1,001 - 3,000 ft	3,001 - 6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Pints	15 min	20	20	25
Quarts	20	25	30	35

Step 9 - Remove and cool the jars - Done

Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight) You can then remove the rings if you like. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it. Some people replace the lid and reprocess the jar, then that's a bit iffy. If you heat the contents back up, re-jar them (with a new lid) and the full time in the canner, it's usually ok.

Apple Juice Canning

2011-11-04T13:19:00.000-06:00

FOUND HERE

Prepared this way, the jars have a shelf life of 18 months to 2 years, and require no special attention.

Directions for Making Apple Juice

Ingredients and Equipment

Apples (see step 1)
Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
Lid lifter (has a magnet to pick the lids out of the boiling water where you sanitize them. ($2 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates)t)
Jar funnel ($2 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates)t)
At least 1 large pot (at least 8-quart size or larger)
Large spoons and ladles
Ball jars (Publix, Kroger, other grocery stores and some "big box" stores carry them - about $8 per dozen quart jars including the lids and rings)
Sieve:
- a simple metal or plastic sieve.
- colander

Filters - if you want filtered juice
- jelly bag
- cheesecloth
- coffee filters
1 Water Bath Canner (a huge pot with a lifting rack to sanitize the jars of apple juice after filling (about $30 to $35 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates) You CAN use a large pot instead, but the canners are deeper, and have a rack top make lifting the jars out easier. If you plan on canning every year, they're worth the investment.

Recipe and Directions

Step 1 - Selecting the apples

The most important step! You need apples that are sweet - that will eliminate the need to add any sugar. Most apple juice doesn't have as much natural sweetness or flavor because they use underripe or off-spec apples. You can choose the best apples you can get and make far better apple juice. Don't get me wrong, it is fine to use "seconds", as long as you cut out the bruised spots!
If you can, choose apples that are naturally sweet, like Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Rome and always use a mixture - never just one type. This year I used 4 bushels of red delicious and one each of Fuji, Yellow Delicious, Gala and Rome. This meant it was so sweet I did not need to add any sugar at all. And the flavor is great! The Fuji's and Gala's give it an aromatic flavor! Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are also excellent, sweet, flavorful apples.

Step 2 - How many apples and where to get them

You can pick your own, or buy them at the grocery store. But for large quantities, you'll find that real* farmer's markets, like the Farmer's Market in Forest Park, Georgia have them at the best prices. In 2004, they were available from late September at $11 to $16 per bushel. 2005 prices have been in the $14 to $20 range at the real farmer's markets, like the Atlanta-Forest park Georgia State Farmer's Market and orchards in the southeast of the U.S.

You'll get about 12 to 20 quarts of apple juice per bushel of apples. Count on 15 or 16 quarts per bushel.

* - not the cutesy, fake farmer's markets that are just warehouse grocery stores that call themselves farmer's markets.

Step 3 - Wash the jars and lids

Now's a good time to get the jars ready, so you won't be rushed later. The dishwasher is fine for the jars; especially if it has a "sanitize" cycle, the water bath processing will sanitize them as well as the contents! If you don't have a dishwasher with a sanitize cycle, you can wash the containers in hot, soapy water and rinse, then sanitize the jars by boiling them 10 minutes, and keep the jars in hot water until they are used. Leave the jars in the dishwasher on "heated dry" until you are ready to use them. Keeping them hot will prevent the jars from breaking when you fill them with the hot apple juice.
Put the lids into a pan of hot, but not quite boiling water (that's what the manufacturer's recommend) for 5 minutes, and use the magnetic "lid lifter wand" to pull them out.

Step 4 -Wash and chop the apples!

I'm sure you can figure out how to wash the apples in plain cold water.

Step 5 - Cook the Apples

Pretty simple put about 4 inches of water (I used filtered tap water) on the bottom of a huge, thick-bottomed pot. Put the lid on, and the heat on high. When it gets really going, turn it to medium high until the apples are soft through and through.
Hardware stores sell a fruit steamer. I haven't used one yet, but I hear they work well.
NOTE: If you have a electric juicer, you can simply juice the chopped apples, then skip to step 7 to heat the juice to boiling.

Step 6 - Sieve the cooked apples

Now you want to separate the liquid from the pulp, skins, seeds, stems, etc. There are quite a variety of ways to filter the apples.
Unfiltered juice:

I like a natural apple juice, with the natural cloudiness of the fruit particles in it, so I just plop the cooked apples into a large metal or plastic sieve or colander.
You can also refrigerate the juice for 24 to 48 hours and then Decant it (without mixing, carefully pour off clear liquid and discard sediment).

Filtered juice:

A better way if you want filtered apple juice is just to line your sieve or colander with several layers of cheese cloth and let the juice drip through. It could take an hour..

If you want really clear apple juice (but most people prefer "natural" style with some solids) you can strain the juice through a paper coffee filter place inside a sieve or colander.

If you want more filtered apple juice, use a jelly bag. Just pour hot prepared fruit pulp into a jelly bag and let it drip. . Do not squeeze the bag.! In my experience this method takes forever.

Note: One of the easiest ways to extract juice is by using a steam juicer available at many hardware and variety stores. If you plan on making a lot of juice or doing this every year, it may be worth buying one. This unique piece of equipment allows you to conveniently extract juice by steaming the fruit which is held in a retaining basket. The juice drops into a reservoir which has a tube outlet for removal. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for using steam juicer.

If your goal is to make apple juice, you will still have a lot of apple pulp left, so I'd recommend you make apple sauce from it (see this page)

Step 7 - Heat the apple juice

Put the apple juice into a large pot. If you want, add cinnamon to taste. You should not need to add any sugar.
The apple juice does not need any further cooking; just get it heated to a low simmering boil and keep it hot until you get enough made to fill the jars you will put into the canner (Canners hold seven jars at once, whether they are quart or pint size)

Step 8 - Fill the jars and process them in the water bath

Fill them to within ¼-inch of the top, wipe any spilled apple juice of the top, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Put them in the canner and keep them cover with at least 1 or 2 inches of water and boiling. if you are at sea level (up to 1,000 ft) boil pint or quart jars for 5 minutes and half gallon jars for 10 min. This assumes you kept the juice hit until you filled the jars. If you are at an altitude of 1,000 feet or more, see the chart below

Recommended process time for Apple Juice in a boiling-water canner.
		Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	0 - 1,000 ft	1,001 - 6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Pints or Quarts	5 min	10	15
Hot	Half-Gallons	10 min	15	20

Step 9 - Remove and cool the jars - Done

Crockpot Pizza Soup

2011-11-01T16:44:00.000-06:00

--1 jar (14 oz) of pizza sauce
--3 empty jars full of water
--1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
--1/2 red onion, chopped
--1 cup sliced mushrooms
--1 cup baby tomatoes, cut in quarters (or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained)
--2 already-cooked Italian sausage (I used chicken Italian sausage)
--1 cup sliced pepperoni, sliced in quarters (Hormel turkey pepperoni is labeled gluten free)
--8 fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 1/2 T dried)
--1 T dried oregano
--1/2 to 1/3 cup of dried pasta (if your pasta is tiny, use 1/3 cup. if it's big, do 1/2. I used 1/2 cup Trader Joe's brown rice penne)
--shredded mozzarella cheese (to add later)

The Directions.

Use a 5 or 6 quart crockpot for this recipe. Serves 4 hungry adults, or 2 hungry adults and 2 kids with enough leftovers to feed them all again.

Wash and prepare veggies. Dump them into the crockpot. Cut up the sausage into small pieces--I sliced, then cut the pieces in fourths. Add to crockpot. Cut up the pepperoni, add it, too. Add basil and oregano. Pour in the pizza sauce, and follow with three empty jars of water.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. Everything in this is already cooked, so you are really only heating through and allowing the flavors to meld.

Thirty minutes before serving, add the dry pasta, and turn to high. My pasta only took 20 minutes to soften quite nicely.

Garnish/top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Crockpot Nacho Dip

2011-11-01T16:35:00.002-06:00

browned burger, stewed tomatoes, cream cheese, velveeta and onions.

Orange Yogurt Pancakes

2011-11-01T12:31:00.000-06:00

Zest of 1 lg. orange
Juice of 1 lg. orange (about 1/2 c)
1 egg
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (strained)
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Whisk until well combined. In seperate bowl, mix the following ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch of salt

Add mixed ingredients to the wet ingredients above until just combined. (Don't over mix, it should be thick.)

Heat a skillet, add a little butter, and cook until lightly browned. Serve with little bowls of extra yogurt & maple syrup or spread the yogurt on top of pancakes and pour syrup on top.

Yield: Makes 6 sm-med sized pancakes. Usually have to double or triple the batch if there are more than 2 people eating.

Sweet and Sour Pasta Salad

2011-09-27T16:33:00.003-06:00

Sweet and Sour Pasta Salad (Note to self: Holly made this during the family reunion.)

(From the Lion House Cookbook)

~SALAD~

1 16-oz package tricolor spiral pasta

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 medium cucumber, peeled, sliced the long way, seeded, and chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

2 Tbl. fresh parsley, minced

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse with cold water. Place in a large serving bowl. Add the onion, tomato, cucumber, green pepper, and parsley; set aside.

~DRESSING~

1 ½ cups sugar

½ cup vinegar

1 Tbl. ground mustard

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt (optional)

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Pour over pasta salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Makes 16 servings.

Choke Cherry Syrup

2011-09-22T16:10:00.002-06:00

Follow directions on Pectin package except double everything except the packet of Pectin.

Package Directions:

3 cups juice (use 6)
1/4 cup lemon juice (use 1/2 cup)
4 1/2 cups sugar (use 9 cups)
1 package pectin. (Use only 1)

Pork With Apples and Pears

2011-09-22T12:52:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

4 shoulder or center-cut loin pork chops, 1 inch thick, trimmed of fat
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup water or white wine
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 - 1 cup chicken stock
2 - 3 pears or apples or a combination, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
Chopped fresh parsley

Make It 1. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. Put a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add olive oil; when hot, add chops and turn heat to high. Brown for 2 minutes on each side.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add water or wine and garlic and cook, turning chops twice, until the liquid has almost evaporated -- 3 minutes. Add stock, turn heat to low, and cover, cooking until chops are tender but not dry, 10 to 15 minutes. (When they're done, their juices will run slightly pink.)
3. Transfer pork to a platter and cover to keep warm. Add fruit wedges to the skillet, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan. If the pan seems too dry, add another 1/2 cup stock or wine and continue cooking until the fruit is soft and the liquid is reduced slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Spoon the fruit and sauce over the chops and garnish with parsley. Makes 4 servings.

FOUND HERE

Apple Turnovers

2011-09-22T12:51:00.001-06:00

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium-size Granny Smith apples (about 1 pound), peeled, cored and grated
1/4 cup dried currants
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch ground nutmeg
4 ounces (1/2 package) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 egg, separated
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 17.3 ounce package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

Make It 1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add apples, currants, sugar and nutmeg. Cook, stirring, 4 to 5 minutes or until apples are tender. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in cream cheese, egg yolk, flour and lemon zest.
2. Unfold one of the pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Roll out slightly to measure 12 inches square. With pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut pastry into 9 equal squares (each 4 inches per side).
3. Spoon 1 tablespoon apple mixture into the center of one square. Fold in half diagonally to form a triangle. Seal open edges with a fork and transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with a little egg white. Repeat with remaining squares.
4. Bake at 400 degrees F for 14 to 15 minutes, until puffed and nicely browned on top. While turnovers bake, repeat rolling, filling and folding with remaining pastry sheet, filling and brushing with egg white.
5. Remove turnovers from baking pans to wire rack to cool, at least 10 minutes. Best if served same day as baking; reheat in 350 degrees F oven for 5 minutes.

FOUND HERE

Carmel Apples

2011-09-22T12:50:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

12 small McIntosh apples (about 3 pounds)
12 wooden ice-cream sticks
2 14 ounce packages soft caramels (such as Kraft)
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons chocolate sprinkles
3 tablespoons vanilla sprinkles
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, broken up
1/2 teaspoon solid vegetable shortening

Make It 1. Line a large baking sheet with nonstick foil. Coat foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Remove stems from apples; wash and dry apples. Insert wooden stick into stem end of each apple.
3. Place unwrapped caramels in medium-size saucepan. Add 3 tablespoons water; heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramels are melted and smooth.
4. Working quickly with one apple at a time, and keeping caramel over low heat, dip the apple into the caramel, turning to coat the apple completely (tilt pan slightly for easier dipping). Remove apple from caramel, letting excess caramel drip back into saucepan. Scrape bottom of apple on edge of pan, and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all apples.
5. Press pistachios, peanuts or sprinkles onto bottom of apples and 1 inch up the sides; place in cupcake liners on new baking sheet. Refrigerate 10 minutes or until caramel is cool.
6. Meanwhile, melt chocolate with shortening in a small glass bowl on HIGH in microwave for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Transfer to a small plastic bag; snip off corner. Drizzle over apples. Refrigerate until hardened, about 20 minutes. Store in refrigerator.

FOUND HERE

Individual Apple Tart Tatin

2011-09-22T12:48:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

8 ounces frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 pounds (4 to 5) apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

Make It 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease the inside of a 12-cup muffin tray set on a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Place the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out 12 circles. Place the circles on a tray and prick pastry all over with a fork. Chill.
3. Pour 1/2 cup water into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and honey and increase the heat to high. Swirling the pan occasionally, cook until the sugar is dark amber, 10 to 12 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the butter one piece at a time until completely emulsified. Divide the sauce among the muffin cups. Divide the apple slices among the muffin cups, breaking them in half when necessary to pack all the slices in.
4. Cap each muffin cup with a circle of puff pastry dough. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking until the pastry is golden-brown and the apples are tender when pricked with a fork, another 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Transfer the muffin tray to a wire rack to partially cool for 20 to 30 minutes. Use a spoon to help scoop out the tarts, invert them (so that the apple side is up) onto a platter. Or, you can let tarts cool and reheat in a 350 degrees F oven for 5 to 10 minutes before inverting onto serving dish.

FOUND HERE

Cranberry Apple Bake

2011-09-22T12:46:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

3 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
2 cups whole fresh cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (not quick-cook)
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Make It 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the apples (unpeeled), cranberries and sugar. Spoon into prepared baking dish.
3. In the same bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, flour and pecans. Stir in the melted butter.
4. Sprinkle the oatmeal mixture evenly over the top of the apples. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes until bubbly and apples are tender. Serve warm or cold with a scoop of ice cream, if desired.

FOUND HERE

Apple Cider Drumsticks

2011-09-22T12:44:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

1 6 ounce can thawed apple juice concentrate
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 chicken drumsticks, skin removed
2 Gala apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices
3/4 cup fat-free half-and-half
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups cooked brown rice

Make It 1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine apple juice concentrate, cider vinegar, pumpkin pie spice and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add chicken; shake to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Place a rack in a roasting pan and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Remove the chicken from the marinade and reserve the marinade. Place the chicken in the roasting pan and season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Roast for 50 to 60 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Baste with marinade twice during cooking.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add apples; saute for 6 minutes, turning apples halfway through cooking. Remove apples to a plate and keep warm.
4. Wipe out the skillet and add the marinade. Bring to a simmer. In a medium bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, flour and Dijon mustard. Gradually whisk in the heated apple juice concentrate mixture. Return mixture to the skillet and simmer for an additional minute.
5. Serve the chicken with the apples, brown rice and sauce.

FOUND HERE

Turkey and Apple Salad

2011-09-22T12:42:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
4 turkey cutlets (4 ounces each)
12 cups assorted salad greens
2 cored and sliced Granny Smith apples
1/3 cup walnuts

Make It 1. Heat gas grill to high or prepare charcoal grill with hot coals or heat broiler. In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil until smooth. Set aside 1/2 cup of the dressing.
2. Brush the turkey cutlets with 1/4 cup of the dressing. Grill or broil for 3 minutes per side until cooked through. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, toss together the salad greens, apples, walnuts and the reserved 1/2 cup of the dressing. Divide the salad among four plates. Slice cutlets into 1/2-inch-wide strips and divide among plates. Serve extra dressing on the side.

FOUND HERE

Apple Betty

2011-09-22T12:41:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

1 12 ounce package all-butter loaf or pound cake, quartered
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
5 Rome apples, (about 2 pounds), peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 4.4 ounce packages fresh blueberries, rinsed
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Make It 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 2-quart deep baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Place pound cake in a food processor. Pulse until crumbs are formed (you may need to start with half the cake and then add in second half). Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in melted butter, almonds, and 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice.
3. In a second large bowl, combine apple slices, blueberries, brown sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Toss to combine.
4. Spoon 1/2 cup crumb mixture into bottom of prepared dish. Top with half of the apple mixture and half of the remaining crumb mixture. Repeat, ending with crumb mixture. Dot top of crumbs with butter pieces and cover dish with foil.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, then uncover and continue to bake for another 30 minutes. remove from oven; cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

FOUND HERE

Apple Meatball Kabobs

2011-09-22T12:31:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

1 cup soft whole wheat bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 medium apple, cored and coarsely shredded
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound uncooked ground turkey breast
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup apple juice or cider
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Make It 1. In a large bowl combine bread crumbs, cheese, egg, apple, mustard, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add turkey and mix to just combine. Shape into 12 2-inch meatballs.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add meatballs. Cook about 15 minutes or until cooked through (165 degree F.), turning frequently to brown evenly. (Or, make 24 1-1/4-inch meatballs and cook for 12 minutes.)
3. Meanwhile, prepare glaze. In a small saucepan combine apple juice, maple syrup, and vinegar. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until reduced by about half and is slightly thickened,stirring occasionally.
4. Combine meatballs and glaze. Thread on skewers, if desired, to serve. Makes 4 servings.

FOUND HERE

Sweet Baked Apples

2011-09-22T12:29:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 medium Gala apples
4 teaspoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
Vanilla yogurt

Make It 1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. In a small bowl combine the walnuts, raisins, brown sugar, cardamom, and nutmeg; set aside.
2. Slice off a thin slice from the bottom of apples to allow them to stand flat. Core apples, starting from the stem end, using a melon baller or small spoon, going to but not through the bottom of the apple. Place apples in a 2-quart square baking dish. Stuff apple cores with fruit and nut mixture, mounding filling as necessary. Place 1 teaspoon butter on top of filling of each apple.
3. Pour cider and honey into the bottom of the baking dish. Loosely cover apples with foil.
4. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil; bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes more or until apples are tender, spooning liquid over apples occasionally.
5. Cool slightly. Serve warm topped with yogurt and drizzled with cooking liquid. Makes 4 servings.

FOUND HERE

Baked Savory Apples

2011-09-22T12:27:00.003-06:00

Ingredients

6 ounces sweet pork or turkey sausage
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
dash ground black pepper
4 large Braeburn apples (about 8 to 10 oz. each)
3/4 cup apple juice

Make It 1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. In a large skillet cook sausage and onion until sausage is brown, stirring to break up sausage. Drain off any fat. In a medium bowl combine sausage mixture, rice, rosemary, thyme, oil, and pepper; set aside.
2. Slice the tops off of each apple and a thin slice from the bottom to allow them to stand flat. Core apples, starting from the stem end, using a melon baller or small spoon, going to but not through the bottom of the apple. Use the melon baller or spoon to scoop out the apple, leaving about 1/4-inch apple shell. Chop 1/2 cup of the scooped-out apple and add to sausage mixture.
3. Place the apples in a 2-quart square baking dish. Fill with meat mixture. Pour apple juice into the bottom of the baking dish.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm in shallow dishes drizzled with cooking liquid. Makes 4 servings.

FOUND HERE

Apple Pasta Salad

2011-09-22T12:26:00.003-06:00

Ingredients

2 cups cooked mini wagon wheel pasta
1 small Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped (1 cup)
1/2 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Make It In a large bowl combine the pasta, apple, cucumber, pecans, raisins, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cover and chill until serving time (up to 6 hours). Stir in parsley, if desired. Makes 4 to 6 servings (about 4-1/2 cups).

FOUND HERE

Apple Chicken Quesadilla with Tomato Corn Salas

2011-09-22T12:25:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

8 small/fajita-size low-carb whole wheat tortillas
1 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese (4 oz.)
1 6 ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast, cooked and thinly sliced
1 Pink Lady apple, cored and thinly sliced
Nonstick cooking spray
Tomato Corn Salsa

Make It 1. Lay 4 tortillas on a flat work surface and sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese. Divide chicken and apple slices evenly among the tortillas. Sprinkle each with remaining cheese. Top with remaining tortillas.
2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Place one quesadilla in skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until brown. Using a large spatula, gently flip the quesadilla and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more or until browned and cheese is melted. Remove and repeat with remaining quesadillas. Cut each into quarters and serve with Tomato Corn Salsa. Makes 4 servings.

Corn Salsa

Ingredients

1/2 cup cooked whole kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons olive oil
dash each salt and pepper

Make It In a small bowl combine corn, tomato, cilantro, olive oil, and a dash each salt and pepper. Makes about 1 cup.

FOUND HERE

Harvest Soup

2011-09-22T11:52:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium Golden Delicious apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Ground black pepper to taste
Whole grain croutons

Make It 1. In a large pot heat oil over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender and starting to brown. Add the squash, apple, and broth. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until squash is tender. Cool slightly.
2. Puree the soup, in batches if necessary, in a blender or food processor, or with an immersion blender. Season to taste with pepper and serve topped with whole grain croutons. Makes 4 to 6 servings (about 6-1/2 cups).

FOUND HERE

Hasselback (Accordian) Potatoes

2011-09-07T10:47:00.000-06:00

Copied completely from The Sisters Cafe Found HERE I needed the picture and comments she made to assist me in making these.

Hasselbacks are a swedish style baked potato, getting their name from a Stockholm restaurant, Hasselbachen where they were first served. I was introduced to this dish by my sweet Mother in law. We enjoyed her wonderful family dinners every Sunday, while we lived in Arizona while my husband finsihed up school at ASU, our first year of marriage. I remember the Sunday she told us she was trying a new potato recipe. My sister in law and I had fun slicing the potatoes into little fans and were anxious to see how they turned out. We all loved them! What a perfect side dish, being beautiful to look at, easy to prepare and absolutely DELCIOUS! The seasoned potatoes are cut like fans, becoming perfectly crisp on the outside and tender within when roasted. You can use your imagination with the seasoning to suit your tastes. I love to add parmesan and garlic. You can also add fresh herbs for a little color. Once I drizzled some pesto over the potatoes and it was fantastic! This is a side dish that will wow your family and dinner guests without requiring a lot of work or time in the kitchen! Perfecto!

6-8 medium potatoes (russet, yukon, red)

Olive oil (or melted butter)
Salt (or seasoned salt)
Garnish: Chopped fresh herbs such as chives or Italian parsley
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut potatoes into 1/8- 1/4 inch thick slices, crosswise, but do not cut all the way through to the bottom. The slices should be very thin and to about a 1/4 inch from the bottom. A little tip is to put a small wooden spoon or chopstick at the bottom of the potato to stop your knife from accidentally cutting all the way through. Place in roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil (or melted butter), making sure some gets in between the slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Roast for about 45- 60 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes and the thickness of your slices. As the potatoes bake, the slices will fan out and the edges will crisp up.
**Also if you are short on time, I have sliced them first then micorwaved for 10 minutes before drizzling with oil and seasoning. Fisnish in the oven for about 20 minutes or until crisp.**
Remove potatoes from oven and place potatoes on a serving dish. Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs if you desire. They are also wonderful without herbs, as pictured.

Variations

Sprinkle potatoes with freshly grated Parmesan cheese during the last 10-15 minutes of baking.
Drizzle your favorite pesto across the tops before baking.
Recipe Source: My Mother in law Beth

Smoothies

2011-08-31T17:15:00.000-06:00

Orange Julius
1/2 c. orange juice concentrate
1 c. milk
1 or 2 bananas
3-4 raw baby carrots
handful of fresh pineapple
handful frozen peaches
half apple cut into chunks
1 c. vanilla yogurt
honey to sweeten (optional)

Blend until smooth! I use frozen fruit so I don’t add any ice. If you use canned or all fresh you will want to add ice. Can also add pears or any other yellow or orange fruit or veggie.

Purple Passion
1/2 c. vanilla yogurt
1 c. milk
handful of frozen blueberries & raspberries & strawberries
handful raw baby spinach
3-4 baby carrots
1 banana
honey to sweeten

Blend until smooth! Like I said above, if you don’t use frozen fruit add ice.

Peach Raspberry Smoothie
2 c. frozen peaches
1/2 c. frozen raspberries/strawberries
1 c. vanilla yogurt
1 c. milk
honey to sweeten (optional)

Blend until smooth.

Peanut Butter Blast
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 banana
chocolate syrup
small handful of graham crackers
ice

Blend until smooth.

Peanut Butter Balls

2011-08-31T17:13:00.002-06:00

Original recipe source
1 – cup honey
1 1/2 – cups creamy peanut butter
2 – cups dry powdered milk
3 – cups quick or old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked
1 – 2 – tablespoons wheat germ or flax meal
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Mix all together with hand mixer. Form into balls with hands and freeze on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper until firm. Remove from freezer and store in a large zip lock bag in the refrigerator.

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

2011-08-31T17:11:00.000-06:00

original recipe source
1/2 cup butter (1 stick or 4 ounces)
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cups mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350. Line or grease a 12 cup muffin pan. (I usually make these in my mini muffin tins. Makes 34 mini muffins or 12 regular size and 24 mini muffins).

Beat together the butter, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the banana, honey and eggs, beating until smooth. Add the flour and chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Divide batter into the muffin cups, they’ll be nearly full. Bake the muffins until a cake tester inserted in the center of one comes out clean, 23-28 minutes. Remove from oven and after a couple of minutes transfer the muffins to a rack to cool.

Wedding Water

2011-06-20T13:15:00.000-06:00

Brace yourself for this one, it's super hard!

1 gallon water
3 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. Pure Lemon Extract
1 Tbsp. Citric Acid

Strawberries may be added to garnish

Milky Way Cake

2011-06-20T13:03:00.000-06:00

Found Here

Ingredients

11 whole Milky Way Bars (regular Size), Divided Use
3 sticks Margarine, Divided Use
2-½ cups All-purpose Flour
½ teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
½ cups Buttermilk
3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract, Divided
2 cups Sugar
4 whole Eggs
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 dash Salt
½ cups Milk (more If Needed)
1 cup Finely Chopped Pecans

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
In a double boiler or in a saucepan over very low heat, melt 8 Milky Way bars together with 1 stick margarine, stirring to combine. Once melted, remove from heat and set aside.
Sift flour and salt together and set aside.
Mix baking soda with buttermilk, then add 2 teaspoons vanilla and set aside.
Cream 1 stick of margarine with the 2 cups of granulated sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to the creamed mixture, mixing after each addition. Add melted candy bar mixture and mix to combine.
Pour into a greased jelly roll pan or 9 x 13 baking pan and bake for 1 hour or until cake is done in the center. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
To make the icing, melt the remaining 3 Milky Way bars with remaining 1 stick margarine (in a double boiler or in a saucepan over very low heat). Add powdered sugar, dash of salt, milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and chopped pecans and stir over low heat. Add more milk if needed.
Pour over the cooled cake and allow to set. Cake will be very sticky! Don’t expect neat, perfect slices.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, then go run five miles!

Nana Candy's Caramel Popcorn

2011-02-23T13:33:00.002-07:00

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup Karo syrup

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Bring first three ingredients to a boil, then add can of milk. Stir constantly. When it reaches a soft-ball stage, add 1 tsp. vanilla and remove from heat.

Pour over popcorn. Note to self: I think today I made 4 batches of popcorn, and it made enough caramel for one large bowl and large square tupperware perfectly.

Heavenly Buttermilk Syrup

2011-01-31T13:51:00.001-07:00

via One Crazy Cookie by Tiffanee on 1/30/11

It would be great over pancakes, waffles or ice cream.

Heavenly Buttermilk Syrup
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 cup buttermilk*
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
In a large saucepan mix all ingredients together and bring to a slow boil. Boil for 1 minute and remove from heat. Add soda and stir. Mixture will foam a lot, so make sure you use a large pot. Allow to sit for about five minutes for the foaming to go down. Serve or pour mixture in a container and refrigerate. It separates a bit, just stir and reheat when ready to serve.

*I normally do not buy buttermilk, so I did not have any on hand. Fortunately, there is a substitute that works perfectly.

1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice.
Stir together and let sit for 5 minutes before using.

Divine Caramel Sauce

2011-01-31T13:48:00.001-07:00

Divine Caramel Sauce

from melskitchencafe.com

Go Here for step-by-step pictures to give you an idea of what the color of the sugar should be before taking it off the stove to add the butter and caramel. One main key to the success of this recipe is letting the sugar and water dissolve for 6-10 minutes on low heat before bringing it to a boil. If this step is rushed the sugar can clump and the sauce will be ruined. There is a little wiggle room in when exactly to take the sugar off the stove. Just look for a dark amber, caramel color and you'll be good to go! Each batch will probably be a little bit different in color.

*Makes about 1 1/2 cups sauce

1/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into 8 pieces

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Set the pan over low heat and stir the mixture gently until the sugar is dissolved. I don't ever get a completely clear syrup but I let it warm over medium-low heat (a 3 on my stovetop) for at least 6-10 minutes before moving to the next step. To be sure the sugar is dissolved, I'll dip a spoon in the sugar mixture and then gently slide my finger over the mixture on the spoon and take a taste. If the sugar is dissolved, the syrup will be smooth and not at all grainy. If you still feel grains of sugar, keep stirring over low heat until it is completely dissolved. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved before letting the mixture come to a boil. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, increase the heat to medium or medium-high and bring the syrup to a boil. Cover the saucepan and let the syrup boil for 2 minutes. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to boil the syrup until the edges start to turn golden brown. Carefully and gently stir the syrup until it turns a deep amber, caramel color. On my stove, this takes about 5-7 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the butter. Gently stir until the butter is incorporated. Stir in the cream. If the sauce becomes lumpy and isn’t whisking together, set the pan over low heat and stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and salt.

Serve the sauce warm or at room temperature. Store the sauce in a jar or airtight container, tightly sealed, in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Reheat on low power in the microwave or in a saucepan, adding a tablespoon of two or water, if needed, if the sauce is too thick.

Caramel Apple Cider Crockpot Recipe

2011-01-31T13:42:00.000-07:00

Found Here A Year of Slow Cooking

Similar to the Caramel Hot Cider at Starbucks.

save yourself $3.50, and dig through the cupboards. You can do this. It's super easy.

The Ingredients.

serves 4, (can easily be multiplied --use a larger cooker though!)

4 cups apple cider

3 tablespoons caramel syrup (the ice cream topping)

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

4 tablespoons sweetened whipped cream (optional; I leave it off for my kids)

The Directions.

Use a 2-quart slow cooker.

Mix it all in together---stir, and cook on low for about 4 hours.

Leftovers refrigerate and reheat great.

Homemade Egg Noodles

2010-12-29T17:37:00.000-07:00

2 cups flour
2 eggs
2 - 1/2 shell of an egg amount of milk.

Add noodles to a broth at a rapid boil.

Crockpot Beef Stew

2010-12-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

It only feeds 4-6, so you might have to double it...1 lb. beef (chopped), 3 medium carrots(chopped), 1 medium onion(chopped), 2 medium potatoes(diced), 2 c.beef broth, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 pk. of onion soup mix, and 1T. worchestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste. (I also added a can of diced tomatoes, but the recipe didn't call for it) Then you just throw it all in the crock pot pn low for 4-5 hours. Thicken with a little cornstarch mixture right before serving. (1T. cornstarch, and 1/2 c. water)

Chinese Chicken Salad

2010-12-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

4 chicken breasts
1 head of lettuce, shredded
sesame seeds
celery
onion
mandarin oranges (to the side)
2 packages RAMEN NOODLES crushed (oriental or chicken flavored)
Mix everything together but oranges.
SAUCE:
6 tbsp vinegar
3/4 cup oil
1 tsp. salt and pepper
4 tbsp. sugar
seasonings from RAMEN NOODLES
Pour sauce over everything and toss!
(add oranges right before serving)
I like to serve it with french bread.

Aebleskivers - and Variations

2010-12-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1/3 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, optional
3 eggs, divided
2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons butter

Method:

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and optional spices.

Separate egg yolks from whites; beat egg whites in a clean oil free glass or metal bowl. Set aside.

Beat egg yolks, buttermilk and vanilla; add to flour and beat until smooth. Fold egg whites into batter.

Heat Aebleskiver pan over medium heat. Generously brush pan indentations with butter or place 1/8 teaspoon butter in each indentation. Butter should sizzle but not smoke or burn. Spoon batter into indentations (3/4 full); cook until sides are bubbly, set and golden brown. Using a knitting needle, crochet hook or wooden skewer, hook edge of Aebleskiver and turn 1/4 turn; cook until golden brown; finish turning over and continue to cook until golden brown.

Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar, dollop raspberry jam and a cold glass of milk.

NOTES:
Nutrition analysis is for the basic recipe. Variations below have not been calculated in nutrition analysis. Makes approximately 4 1/2 dozen

For delicious sweet variations place any of the following in each Aebleskiver indentation after filling 1/2 to 3/4 full with batter; cook as directed above. Try apple slice, berries, Hershey kiss, chocolate chips, raisins, craisins, 1/2 teaspoon peanut butter or Nutrella, pie filling, coconut, jam, etc.

Half a world away the Danish Aebleskiver pan (called a Kanom Krok pan) is used in Thailand to make Kanom Krok or Rice and Coconut Pancake. This dish is usually sweet for breakfast and can be savory for lunch or snacks. Taking a page from the Kanom Krok book try the following variations for a savory Aebleskiver: reduce sugar to 2 tablespoons and add diced ham, cooked salad shrimp, sliced green onions, garlic salt rather than table salt, finely chopped fresh herbs, or other ideas.

FOUND HERE

Roasted Root Vegetables with Cracked Peppercorn Bacon

2010-11-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

4 strips Smithfield Cracked Peppercorn Coated Bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound medium-sized potatoes
1 pound sweet potatoes
4 to 6 carrots
1/2 medium-sized red onion

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°. Peel vegetables and chop into 1-inch cubes, or bite size pieces for the carrots. In a medium bowl, toss chopped vegetables with olive oil and garlic. Drizzle in more oil if everything did not get coated. Spread vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place pan in the oven and roast for 40 minutes, stirring after the first 20 minutes. Top with bacon and serve immediately. Alter any ingredients to your taste. You can use this same olive oil + garlic + s & p method for any assortment of veggies, or try spicing things up by adding some red wine vinegar or fresh herbs to the mix too.

Breakfast Bagel

2010-11-12T10:32:00.002-07:00

1 bagel, sliced and toasted
2 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1/3 cup grated cheese
4 slices Smithfield Deli Thin Honey Ham
mayonnaise, to taste

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Grease lightly. Crack eggs into skillet, making sure they are slightly overlapping. Immediately break yolks, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with green onions. Allow to cook until edges are set. Flip over and top with cheese and then ham. Cover and let cook until cheese is melted.
Meanwhile, spread mayonnaise over toasted bagel halves. Place cooked eggs, ham side up, on one bagel half. Top with other bagel. Cut in half if making two servings. Wrap in parchment paper for travel.

Serves: 1-2 (depending on the appetite)

Taco Pie

2010-11-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

Meat Filling:

Brown 1 pound of hamburger with 1/2 cup chopped onions, drain. Add 1 packet of taco seasoning mix and 3/4 cup water, simmer while you make the crust. (or about 15 minutes).

1 can refried beans (optional)

Taco Crust

1 3/4-2 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons yeast (or 1 packet)

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons finely chopped onion (optional)

3/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup warm water

2 Tablespoons oil

1/2 cup crushed corn tortilla chips

Toppings:

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
sliced olives
sour cream

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, salt and onion. Mix well. Add warm water and oil to the flour mixture. Mix by hand until smooth. Stir in chips and enough remaing flour to make a stiff dough. (I used 2 cups). Spread into a well greased pie pan, forming a rim around the edge. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 10 minutes.

If desired spread 1 can of refried beans on the bottom.

Spread taco meat over top of beans.

Sprinkle with some shredded cheese about 1/2 cup.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes until the edge is crisp and light golden brown..

Sprinkle with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sliced olives.

Serve each piece with some sour cream.

*This is a versatile recipe. You can tailor it to fit your tastes.

Found Here

Turkey Chili

2010-11-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Even though this chili is made with ground turkey, it is still the best chili we've ever had. I serve it with a dollop of sour cream. Don't be afraid of the large amounts of garlic and spices - it is not too hot, my kids eat it just fine - it is just extremely rich and flavorful.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or corn oil
2 medium onions , chopped fine (about 2 cups)
1 red bell pepper , cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds 93 percent lean ground turkey
2 (15.5-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans , drained and rinsed
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes , with juice
(28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Table salt
2 limes , cut into wedges
Instructions

Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add half the turkey; cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add beans, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Pat remaining 1 pound turkey together into ball, then pinch off teaspoon-sized pieces of meat and stir into chili. Continue to simmer about 40 minutes longer, stirring occasionally (if chili begins to stick to bottom of pot, stir in 1/2 cup water and continue to simmer), until turkey is tender and chili is dark and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with additional salt. Serve with lime wedges and condiments if desired.

Garlic Knot Rolls

2010-11-10T12:09:00.001-07:00

10 garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon plus ¾ cup water, heated to 110 degrees
1 packet rapid rise or instant yeast
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off. Grease a large bowl and set aside.

Cook garlic, 1 tablespoon butter, and 1 teaspoon water in small nonstick skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is very light golden in color, 8 to 10 minutes. Add remaining butter, stirring until melted. Let stand 10 minutes off heat. Strain garlic butter though fine-mesh strainer into small bowl; reserve garlic solids.

Whisk remaining water, 1 tablespoon garlic butter, reserved garlic solids, and yeast in liquid measuring cup until yeast dissolves. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add water mixture in steady stream and mix until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth and comes away from sides of bowl, about 6 minutes. Turn dough onto clean work surface and form into a smooth ball. Transfer dough to greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in turned-off oven until dough has doubled in size, 40 to 50 minutes.

Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Punch down dough on a floured surface. Roll dough into 12 by 6 inch rectangle and cut into twelve 6-inch stirps. With flat hands, roll each strip into 12 inch ropes. Tie each rope into a loose knot, and then tuck the ends over and under to fill in the hole. Place on prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Return to turned-off oven and let rise 20 minutes. Remove rolls from oven, discard plastic wrap and heat oven to 500 degrees. Bake rolls until just set, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, reheat the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds until it melts. Brush the knots with 2 tablespoons garlic butter. Return to oven and bake until golden, 5 minutes longer. Brush knots with remaining garlic butter and cool 5 minutes. Serve.

Tiny Spicy Chicken

2010-11-03T10:49:00.000-06:00

Cache Valley Specialty

As far as I can tell this exact dish is a Cache Valley original. It is a spicy breaded chicken in a red sauce kind of like General Tso’s chicken.

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast- cut into 1-11 /2 ` cubes
garlic salt
2 beaten eggs
cornstarch

SAUCE
1 -2 tsp Samball Fresh Chili paste
11/z cups sugar 3/4 cup ketchup
3 tsp soy sauce dash slat
3/4 cup chicken broth
6 T brown sugar
3/4 cup white vinegar

Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt, and let sit for 1 hour in the refrigerator. After the hour, dip chicken into beaten eggs and then coat with cornstarch. Brown chicken in fryer until golden brown. Put the chicken into greased 9 x 13 pan.

Mix sauce ingredients in saucepan. Cook only until sugars are dissolved. Pour over chicken

Bake chicken @ 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes, turning the chicken every 15 minutes.

• When you pour the sauce over the chicken, it will be very liquidy. The sauce thickens as it cooks, making a nice coating over the chicken.

Ham Fried Rice

2010-11-03T09:51:00.000-06:00

From “Fabulous Freezer meals” by Jenny Ahlstrom Stanger

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 TBSP canola oil
3 ½ cups cooked rice
½ cup crumbled cooked bacon
½ cup cooked diced ham
½ cup frozen peas
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 tbsp soy sauce

Heat wok or small heavy skillet over high heat. Add 1 ½ tablespoons oil and swirl to coat. When the pan in very hot, add the eggs and scramble them. Remove from pan before they brown. They should be soft and a bit runny.

Heat skillet again and add 2 tablespoons oil. Add rice and toss to coat. Add bacon and peas. Toss the ingredients until heated through. Add souy sauce and scrambled eggs; toss to combine. Season with salt. Garnish with chopped green onions.

When rice has cooled place in sandwich size zip top bags, label and freeze.
To serve; Defrost in microwave in zip top bag (it will act as a steamer) until warmed through about 5 minutes. Serve.

Chicken Pot Pie

2010-11-02T16:46:00.000-06:00

Heat in a sauce pan: 2 - 3 cans Campbell's Chicken Gravy with sage and black pepper, 2 - 3 C rotisserie chicken (diced), 2 - 3 C frozen mixed vegetables (thawed and drained) plus two boiled potatoes (peeled and cubed), 2 T...BS flour, and about 1 C milk. Put in pie crust lined pie plate (crust can be homemade or not) and top with a second crust. Cut slits in the top and bake at 425* for 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes and cut into wedges to serve.

Turtle Brownies

2010-10-26T10:02:00.002-06:00

40 Brach's caramels melted in a double-boiler with 1/3 C evaporated milk. (set this mixture aside, but keep over the hot water so it is pourable in just a moment)

Mix together:
1 chocolate cake mix (do NOT follow the directions!)
3/4 C evaporated milk
3/4 C butter (melted)
pecans (hey, we're in the South, live like it! IF you're not (I'm sorry) and you can use walnuts)
of course, all nuts are optional.

Pour 1/2 of the cake mixture into a 13x9 pan. Bake for 10 min. @ 350 degrees F.
After pulling the cake from the oven, spread caramel mixture over the top. Sprinkle with one bag of chocolate chips.

Mix the rest of the can of evaporated milk (should be about 1/2 C) with the rest of the cake batter. Pour over the chocolate chips. Bake again @ 350 for 20 min.

Let cool. This is GREAT warm with vanilla ice cream, or really chewy when cold.

Broccoli Soup

2010-10-08T10:09:00.002-06:00

1/4 c butter
1 onion chopped
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp white pepper
Broccoli
1quart chicken broth
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup of whole milk (I use 1 cup of milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream)
8 ounces cheddar cheese.

Meltbutter in stock pot med heat. Cook onion in butter until soft add powder and pepper cook 1 minute stir in broccoli then add broth bring to boil then simmer until broccoli is tender. Meanwhile mix milk and flour until dissolved add to soup stir until thick lower heat stir in cheese until melted.

FOUND HERE

Pesto

2010-10-08T10:08:00.000-06:00

1 1/2 cup basil
1cup walnuts
2 cloves garlic
2 T Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine it all in the food processor and serve over pasta.

Found Here

KEY WEST CHICKEN

2010-08-19T10:20:00.002-06:00

Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon lime juice
* 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions

1. In a shallow container, blend soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, lime juice, and garlic. Place chicken breast halves into the mixture, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Discard marinade, and grill chicken 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until juices run clear.

Crispy Crust French Toast

2010-07-08T15:39:00.001-06:00

The recipe is from Cook’s Illustrated; it produces French toast with a crisp, sweet, golden exterior and a thick, rich interior. There are two versions of the recipe — one for sturdy sandwich bread and one for crusty European-style bread. Adjustments for crusty bread are noted in italics. My friend has been having great luck lately with Arnold’s Premium Italian sandwich bread.

FOUND HERE

1 large egg
2 T unsalted butter, melted (omit for crusty bread)
3/4 c milk (1 c)
2 t vanilla
2 T sugar
1/3 c flour (1 T)
1/4 t salt
4-8 slices bread
Unsalted butter for frying
Heat a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the egg in a pie plate. Add the butter, milk, and vanilla. Gradually whisk in the sugar, flour, and salt. Soak the bread on each side, without oversaturating, as you are ready to fry it. Swirl 1 t butter in the hot skillet. Transfer the soaked bread to the skillet; cook until golden brown on each side.

Root Beer Pulled Pork Chili Sauce

2010-07-01T15:54:00.000-06:00

Pork butt

root beer (1 can)

chili sauce (1 bottle)

Pour it in the crockpot and cook it all day. Then you shred the meat and put it on sandwiches. A chopped white onion in can be put in there too.

Root Beer Pulled Pork BBQ

2010-06-29T12:08:00.000-06:00

Root Beer Pulled Pork BBQ FOUND HERE
2 onions, sliced and divided
2 T. garlic, minced
4-lb. pork roast
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
4-1/2 c. root beer, divided
16-oz. bottle favorite barbecue or chili sauce
Place one sliced onion in the bottom of a slow cooker; add garlic. Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper; place in slow cooker. Add 1-1/2 cups root beer to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours, or on high setting for 5 hours. Remove roast and set aside to cool. Discard onion and liquid in slow cooker. In a saucepan, bring sauce and remaining root beer to a boil; simmer for 30 minutes. When roast is cool enough to handle, shred with a fork, discarding bone and fat; return shredded meat to slow cooker. Stir in sauce mixture and remaining onion. Cover and cook on high setting for one to 3 hours, until onion is soft. Serves 12.

Gem State Fudge

2010-06-29T12:00:00.000-06:00

4 C. sugar
6 Tbsp. Cocoa
2 C. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1 + 2 Tbsp. Caro Syrup (lite)

Butter side of heave sauce pan.
Add all ingredients, stir and cook to a boil on medium heat.
Stop stirring.
Boil on low to firm ball (30 mins to 2 hours)
Add 4 Tbsp. butter and 2 tsp. vanilla (let these melt on top until all is cool)
Dump into a bowl.
Stir until it loses its gloss.
Stir 30 minutes.
Pour into buttered dish.

Makes 2 pounds.

Brian's Recipe

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

2010-06-29T11:59:00.000-06:00

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 box brownie mix

Grease 9 x 13 pan. Make brownie mix as directed on box. Spread batter in pan and set aside.

Beat together until smooth:

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened ( I used the less fat version)

1 can (14 oz.)sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup peanut butter

Spoon mixture over top of the brownie mixture. Spread evenly. Try to spoon it on in all areas so you just have to smooth it out.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cheesecake layer is set and edges are light golden brown.

Cool on rack for 30 minutes and then refrigerate for 40 minutes.

In a microwavable bowl add:

1 cup chocolate chips ( I used milk chocolate)

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Microwave on high for 60 seconds or until chips are melted. Stir after first 30 seconds.

Stir until smooth and spread over cheesecake layer.
Optional: Spread 1 bag of milk chocolate toffee bits over the top of the chocolate layer

Place back in the refrigerator until chocolate layer is set. Cut before chocolate has totally hardened.

Enjoy!

Store covered in the refrigerator.

Found HERE

Rosemary Parmesan Bread

2010-06-29T11:55:00.000-06:00

1 1/4 cup warm water

1 1/2 Tb yeast

2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

3 1/2 cups flour (approximately)

2 Tb fresh rosemary, chopped

1 Tb olive oil

1/2+ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In the bowl of a large mixer (such as a KitchenAid) dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water, let sit for 5 minutes. Yeast should form a foam on top of the water. Add salt, 1.5 Tb of the rosemary, olive oil and flour. Mix with a dough hook. Add enough flour that dough leaves sides of bowl and forms a ball. At this point sprinkle in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Knead for 5 minutes. Cover mixer and bowl with a towel and let dough raise for 30 minutes. Turn on mixer for one second to "punch down" dough and remove from mixing bowl. Turn onto floured surface and roll into a rectangle/oval. Roll up lengthwise and pinch seam to seal. Place seam side down on demarle silpat or a pizza stone sprinkled with corn meal or a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam. (There, you have lots of options!) Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 Tb rosemary and pat gently to make it stick to surface of dough. Let raise for 30 minutes. Brush with 1 Tb melted butter and sprinkle desired amount of Parmesan over loaf. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool partially before slicing.

Found Here

Spaghetti Sauce

2010-06-29T11:52:00.000-06:00

3 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Heinz 57 steak sauce
1 teaspoon italian seasoning

Brown onion and green pepper in a large skillet in a small amount of oil.
Add ground beef to the onion and green peppers; cook until brown.
Carefully drain the hamburger mixture and return to the skillet.
Add the tomato sauce, onion salt, salt, garlic salt, oregano, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Heinz 57 and Italian seasoning.
Stir well and simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours.
Serve over your favorite pasta with garlic bread and a salad.

Found HERE

Oven Baked Chimichangas

2010-06-29T11:50:00.000-06:00

*Note: this recipe makes use of already cooked rice and chicken so plan ahead!
*Makes 6 chimis
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups cooked brown or white rice
2-3 cups diced, cooked chicken
1-2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (use the lesser amount for less heat, greater amount for a bigger kick)
1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese (or a combination of both)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and Pepper
6 large burrito-size flour tortillas
Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees. While the oven is heating, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Cook the onion until it is just softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the beans, rice, chicken and chipotle and cook until the mixture is heated through, about 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the cheese and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I used about 1/4 teaspoon each).
Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave the tortillas until they are warm and pliable, about 1 minute. Top each warm tortilla with some of the chicken mixture, leaving about a 2-inch border at the bottom of the tortilla. Fold in the sides and roll up the tortilla tightly. Brush the wrapped tortillas with the remaining oil and arrange them seam side down on the hot baking sheet that has been preheating in the oven. Bake until the chimis are golden brown and crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve.

FOUND HERE

Bowtie Chicken Salad

2010-06-29T11:48:00.000-06:00

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed

1 -16 oz. box of bowtie pasta

1 large can pineapple tidbits, drain but reserve the juice.

2 cups red grapes, cut in half

1 cup diced celery

1 cup cashew pieces

Place all ingredients, except cashews in a larget bowl.

Dressing:

1 bottle coleslaw dressing

1 cup mayonaise

reserved pinapple juice

Mix dressing ingredients until smooth. Poor over salad ingredients, mix gently until evenly covered.

Add cashews and mix.

This salad is best if made a few hours before serving to allow the flavors to mix.

You could also use the colored pasta for a festive look!!

FOUND HERE

Creamy Italian Crock Pot Chicken

2010-06-29T11:41:00.000-06:00

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup butter or l cube

1 package dry Italian dressing mix

2 (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup water

1 -8 oz. cream cheese

1 lb. pasta (optional)

Place chicken breasts in crock pot and sprinkle with the dressing mix.

Pour cream of chicken soup and water over top. Add the butter.

Cook on low for for 6-8 hours. Stir once or twice. When chicken is done, remove it from the sauce and shred it. Add the brick of cream cheese and return the shredded chicken to sauce. Allow the cream cheese to melt. Stir until combined.

Now is where it is up to you. It is great served over cooked pasta or rice.

You can also serve it with the cooked pasta mixed in. You decide!!

FOUND HERE

Baked Yellow Squash

2010-06-29T11:33:00.000-06:00

2 large yellow squash, sliced about 1" thick
1 vidalia onions, sliced about 1" thick (sometimes I slice 2 if they are not very big)
1/2 stick butter, cut into cubes
salt and pepper to taste

In a casserole dish, layer one sliced squash onto the bottom of the dish.Top with a sliced vidalia onion, 1/2 of the butter and salt and pepper.Repeat layers.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes, or until squash and onion are cooked.

FOUND HERE

Crockpot Meatloaf

2010-06-29T11:30:00.000-06:00

1 pound lean ground turkey or beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 fully cooked andouille sausage links (6-ounces, total)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. I put a metal loaf pan into the slow cooker and baked the meatloaf in it (no need to add water, just put the loaf pan into the crock), but if you'd prefer to not use a loaf pan, you can just make a blob with the meat and put it directly into the crock.

Anyhow, take the casing off of the sausage, and chop it into pieces. Toss it in a mixing bowl with the ground meat, all the spices and the beaten egg. Mix well; I always use my hands. Shove the meat mixture into a 9 x 5 x 3 baking pan and put this pan into an oval crockpot (or plop the meat blob into the crock all alone).

Cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3 to 5 hours. You'll know the loaf is done when it's brown on the top and it starts to pull away from the sides. If you're not using the loaf pan, the meat will cook faster---check after 4 hours on low, 2 to 3 on high.

When thoroughly cooked, turn off and unplug the cooker and let the meat sit for about 15 minutes before removing from the pot.

Found HERE

Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars

2010-06-29T11:27:00.000-06:00

Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars FOUND HERE

adapted from Betty Crocker

1 bag (pouch) sugar cookie mix

1 (4 serving) box French vanilla instant pudding mix

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 teaspoons vanilla

2 whole eggs plus 3 egg yolks

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened.

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup white sugar

1- 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate toffee bits ( or regular toffee bits), crushed fine.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, pudding mix, brown sugar, melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 whole egg until a soft dough forms. Press dough in the bottom of the pan.

Beat cream cheese, sour cream and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining whole egg, 3 egg yolks and remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat until smooth. Spread over the crust in pan.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until it is set in the center. Immediately sprinkle the top with the crushed toffee bits. Cool for 30 minutes then refrigerate for 3 hours or until chilled. Store covered in the refrigerator.

**To make cutting them easier cut into bars after the 30 minutes of cooling, before you refrigerate.

Ethereal Angel Food Cake

2010-06-29T11:06:00.002-06:00

*Note: To make a chocolate version, substitute 1/4 cup cocoa powder for 1/4 cup of the flour.

Dry ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
For the egg white mixture:
¾ cup granulated sugar
12 large egg whites (make sure not to get any of the shell or egg yolk in with the whites or they won’t beat up properly)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder (if using), sugar and salt and set aside. In another bowl place the egg whites and add the vanilla. With a hand mixer (or with a stand mixer), beat the egg whites and vanilla on medium-high until the mixture is just frothy, about one minute. Sprinkle the cream of tartar on the top of the foamy whites and continue beating on medium-high until soft peaks form, another 2-3 minutes.

Add the sugar 1/4 cup at a time until fully incorporated. Continue beating until the whites are stiff and glossy (see the picture below). This may take several minutes, depending on the type of mixer you are using. With a whisk, gently fold the dry ingredients into the beaten egg whites. Pour the batter evenly into an ungreased angel food cake pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the cake on a rack in the center of the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top of the cake is golden brown, the cake springs back when lightly touched and the cracks are dry to the touch. Place the cake upside down on cooking rack or bottle until cool (see picture below). Slide a knife around the edges of the pan and gently remove the cake.

Found HERE

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

2010-06-29T11:02:00.000-06:00

I've never had luck with pasta salads, I'm still trying and this is next on my list.

*Serves 6-8 as a side dish
1 pound tricolor pasta
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes (I like the sun-dried tomatoes that are jarred and packed in oil the best)
1 (14.5 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and diced
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn into small pieces, or 1 tablespoon dried
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/4 cup diced red onion
¾ cup black or kalamata olives, sliced
2 teaspoons saute spice (equal parts black pepper, salt and garlic powder – I mix up a bunch of this and keep it in a small tupperware in my spice cabinet)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Whisk the vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil to make a smooth dressing. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water (about 1 tablespoon kosher salt to 4 quarts water) to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain, then pour pasta into a large bowl. While the pasta is still warm, pour a couple tablespoons of the dressing over the pasta and toss so that the pasta doesn’t stick together as it cools. Let it cool to room temperature, tossing now and again to help the cooling process and to prevent sticking.

When the pasta has cooled, add the sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, basil, onion, olives, saute spice, and oregano and toss. Add the vinaigrette and toss again until the pasta ingredients are evenly coated. Add the cheeses and lightly toss. Chill until ready to serve.

FOUND HERE WITH PICTURE

Blueberry Corn Basil Salad

2010-06-29T10:59:00.000-06:00

2 cups corn
1 cup blueberries
4-6 leaves of basil, cut into thin strips
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of garlic salt
2 T olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar

Mix all ingredients together . Refrigerate to meld flavors. Serve cold.

Found HERE

White Caramel Popcorn

2010-06-29T10:53:00.000-06:00

Warning:This recipe makes a huge batch.

Pop a LARGE bowl of popcorn. You can use two bowls. It makes it easier to stir and lets you get all the unpopped kernels out of it. Then when mixed put it all in one bowl.

1 lb butter
2 3/4 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla
Place ingredients in a saucepan. Melt on med-high temperature. Stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and boil for 30 seconds. Pour over popcorn and stir to coat.

FOUND HERE

Great White Punch

2010-06-29T10:50:00.000-06:00

1 6oz can frozen limeade
11 cups water
3 cups sugar
2 quarts lemon lime pop or 7-up
fresh lime slices

Mix limeade, water and sugar until dissolved. Freeze, stirring often. 2 hours before serving, thaw mixture in punch bowl. 1 hour before serving, add lemon lime pop or 7-up. Garnish with fresh lime slices.

Found HERE

Oven Baked Burritos

2010-06-03T12:00:00.000-06:00

FOUND AND COPIED FROM HERE. Why haven't I ever thought of doing it this way before???

Makes 8-10 depending on how big you make them
1 lb. hamburger
1 small onion, diced
1 can refried beans
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa (use more depending on how spicy you like them.)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese and cheese to cover each burrito
1 tomato, diced
diced olives* optional
tortilla shells
Brown hamburger and onion. Drain. Return to skillet. Add beans, sour cream, salsa, tomato and olives.
Stir mixture together.

Add about 1/2 cup of mixture to the center of a tortilla. Add some cheese.

Fold up sides.

Fold up one end.

Tuck the end in.

Roll up.

You could freeze them at this point.

Place on cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Turn them each over and bake for 5 minutes.
Turn them back over and if desired add sliced or shredded cheese on top of each burrito. Place back in the oven until the cheese is melted.

Waddoups Hamburgers

2010-06-03T11:42:00.001-06:00

My mother in law fell in love with my dad's hamburgers. She is only supposed to eat hamburgers once or twice a year. She always saves that time for when I barbecue hamburgers. When I do it these are what I include.

Ketchup
Mustard
Worchestershire sauce
A-1 sauce
Lemon pepper/pepper
Garlic salt
Sometimes some dry italian seasonings

Items that go well with hamburgers are barbecued pineapple rings, barbecued onions, tomatoes, lettuce, Ketchup, mustard, pickles, cheese. Best served with large buns.

Cheesy Potatoes with Bacon and Cream

2010-04-09T14:02:00.001-06:00

Copied from Maren's blog

Let's first give credit where credit is due - Chef Frank Farmer. At least, I'm assuming it's his recipe, since there were no other credits on the recipe sheet I received during class. I couldn't find a website for him, but here's his brief bio from KitchenArt: "Chef Frank Farmer is a culinary graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island. He has worked at several restaurants, including McGraw’s Steak, Chop, and Fish House; Frank’s Café West; and Sarge Oak on Main; and, was a teaching assistant in the culinary department at Johnson and Wales. Currently, Chef Frank is the executive chef for several fraternity and sorority houses at Purdue University."

Very impressive, Frank. Just like these potatoes.

Cheesy Potatoes with Bacon and Cream

4 TBL butter

1 onion (1/4" diced)

3 TBL flour

2 C heavy cream (Thou shalt NOT sin and try to substitute something with less fat.)

Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

1 1/2 C cooked bacon, diced (Thou shalt NOT use cheapo gross bacon. It's worth the extra $ to buy something decent!)

3 C russet potatoes, peeled and 1/4" diced

1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

2 TBL fine breadcrumbs

1. Preheat a heavy dutch oven on the stone. Add the butter and melt. (I used medium heat.)

2. Saute the onion until translucent.

3. Stir in the flour, and cook for 3-5 minutes. (Be careful not to let the butter or the flour burn!)

4. Gradually add in the cream, stirring constantly until thickened.

5. Season with the pepper and salt. (Be generous with the salt - potatoes need it!)

6. Stir in the bacon and potatoes, and coat well.

7. Sprinkle the cheese and breadcrumbs on top.

8. Cover, and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. (And be sure you follow the directions - because now I know why our potatoes were a little undercooked. I forgot to cover them and I had the oven at 375. Oops. But you know what? They were still great!)

Eat, enjoy, and make sure you keep a working defibrillator nearby.

Egg Drop Soup

2010-03-31T10:59:00.000-06:00

4 c chicken broth, divided
1-1/2 T cornstarch
1/8 t ground ginger
2 T chives or chopped green onions
2 eggs, beaten

Mix 3/4c of the chicken broth with the cornstarch; set aside. Stir the rest of the chicken broth, ginger, and chives or onions into a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. While stirring continuously, drizzle the egg a little at a time into the boiling mixture. Stir in the cornstarch mixture gradually and cook for 2 more minutes.

Found Here

Jan's Bread Sticks

2010-03-31T10:14:00.000-06:00

3 Tbsp. Sugar
1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp. yeast
2 1/4 Cups warm water
1 tsp. salt
4 1/2 - 5 cups flour
1 1/2 cubes butter

Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. Add salt. Mix in flour until dough is the desired consistency. Knead for 3 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes. Spread melted butter on large cookie sheet. Roll out dough to size of pan. Cut dough into 1" strips using pizza cutter. Place dough in butter, then turn over, buttering both sides. Place dough strips close together in pan. Sprinkle with garlic salt and parmesan cheese. Can be baked as soon as the oven is preheated or left to raise. Bake at 375 until lightly golden brown. (approximately 20 minutes.)

Strawberry Rhubarb Streusel Pie

2010-03-29T16:08:00.000-06:00

We end up with so much rhubarb every year that I love it when I get new rhubarb recipes like the one I found HERE

1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2.5 cups fresh strawberries, halved
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell (or go ahead and make it yourself.)

Streusel Topping
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup quick-cooking or rolled oats
6 TBS chilled butter

Directions
1.In a large mixing bowl, beat egg. Add the sugar, flour and vanilla; mix well. Gently fold in rhubarb and strawberries. Pour into pastry shell.

2.For topping, combine flour, brown sugar and oats in a small bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly (I wrapped mine with foil halfway through to prevent the crust from over-browning). Cool on a wire rack.

Custard Baked French Toast with Tart Raspberry Sauce

2010-03-29T15:36:00.000-06:00

6 TBS butter
French bread loaf
1 1/2 C sugar
6 eggs plus 3 yolks
2 C whipping cream
4 C milk
1 TBS vanilla

Melt butter in a 9X13 inch pan. Cut crusts (I'm too lazy to cut the crust off so I never so this) off sliced bread and layer 2-3 deep. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over bread. Let sit overnight in refrigerator. Bake 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Serve topped with raspberry sauce and slivered almonds ( I don't do the almonds either). Dust with powdered sugar and place a few fresh raspberries on top.

Raspberry Sauce:
1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen raspberries (organic, if you can get them)
1/4 C sugar
1 TBS cornstarch

Combine on stove and cook until thickened, pour over French toast

Found HERE

Melanie's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-03-29T15:34:00.000-06:00

Found HERE

1 cube (1/2 cup) butter, softened *not melted!*

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Mix butter, shortening and sugars - do not over mix. (The key to this recipe is minimal mixing - try it with a wooden spoon instead of a mixer.) Add vanilla and eggs. Sift together dry ingredients and add them next. Mix until everything is combined. Add one package of milk chocolate chips. (Guittard is my all time favorite. The milk chocolate chips are large and so smooth and creamy... yum!) Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Take them out when they are barely brown. Serve warm out of the oven with a tall glass of cold milk... YUM!

**FYI--a note from Melanie:A couple of years ago I quit using shortening in anything. I now use all butter in this recipe. So, I now leave out the shortening and replace it with an equal amount of butter ( 1/2 cup). I found that the cookies still have that perfect texture as shown and don't go flat, if you chill the dough for an hour or so before baking. You may need to bake for a few minutes longer--but DO NOT over bake--take out when barely brown. Then leave on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to the wire rack for cooling**

Tomato Basil Bisque

2010-03-29T15:31:00.000-06:00

Note: the butternut squash can be cooked a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Also, this soup definitely tastes best served warm.

*Serves 4-6 Found HERE
1 medium butternut squash (for about 1 1/2 cups cooked squash)
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup finely diced onion
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 can (14.5 ounces) Italian-style stewed tomatoes (or 1 can stewed tomatoes with 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning)
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half (I used the latter)
Tapatio sauce to taste

Prepare the butternut squash by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, so you have two long pieces. Scoop out the seeds and pulp from each half. Place both sides cut-side down in a 9X13-inch pan. Add enough water to come about 1/4-inch up the sides of the squash. Cover with foil and bake for about an hour. Test with a fork to make sure the squash is very tender when pierced with the fork in several places. If the flesh doesn't easily give to the pressure of the fork, continue cooking in ten minute increments, and testing again, until the squash is tender. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the squash to a large cutting board or plate. Let it cool about 15 minutes before scooping out the flesh. If preparing the day before, scoop out the flesh and place in a tupperware. Let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until using it in the soup. If using the squash immediately, scoop the squash into the blender.

While the squash is cooking, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter and saute the onion until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Scoop the onion/garlic mixture into the blender with the squash.

Add the canned tomatoes (undrained) to the blender. Process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the blended mixture back into the saucepan and add the chicken broth, salt, sugar, basil and cream (or half-and-half). Stir to combine well. Heat over medium-low heat until the soup is warm (but don't let it boil or simmer to avoid the cream curdling). Serve immediately and add hot sauce to taste, if desired.

Irish Soda Bread

2010-03-29T15:29:00.000-06:00

Found HERE

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup buttermilk

1.	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
2.	In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf.
3.	Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 30 to 50 minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.

Papa Murphy's Chicken Garlic Pizza

2010-03-29T15:27:00.000-06:00

Yields 2 Large Pizzas Found HERE

Pizza Crust (Recipe Below)
Garlic alfredo pizza sauce (recipe below)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup chicken, cooked and chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Prepare pizza crust as directed. Spread 1/2 cup sauce on each pizza. Sprinkle with cheese, chicken, green onions, and tomatoes. Bake as directed.

Garlic Alfredo Pizza Sauce
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup half & half
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour and garlic powder. Slowly add cream. Stir until thickened and bubbly. Add salt and mix well.

Pizza Crust
1 package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1/4 cup lard or vegetable shortening
3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
Olive oil

In an electric mixing bowl, whisk the yeast, sugar, water and lard together to make a paste. Add the flour and salt and mix, using a dough hook, until the dough comes away from the sides and crawls up the dough hook. Remove the dough from the bowl. Grease the bowl with olive oil and place the dough back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide dough in half. Roll the dough into balls, cover, and let the dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes. The dough is ready to be shaped.
Yield: dough for 2 (12-inch) pizzas

Welsh Cakes

2010-03-29T15:21:00.002-06:00

*Makes about 3 dozen 3-4 inch cakes Found HERE

3 cups (12 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, cut into pieces
3/4 currants (optional – I left out)
2 eggs beaten with enough milk to yield 3/4 cup liquid
I
n a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture is a coarse, even consistency. Add the currants, then add the egg and milk. Stir to form a soft dough. Divide the dough in half and working with one half at a time (keep the other refrigerated, especially if your kitchen is warm), roll the dough into a circle 1/4-inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter or other small round cutter, cut circles of dough. Heat an ungreased skillet or griddle over medium heat (on my electric griddle I preheated to 300 degrees). Fry the cakes for about 2 minutes on the first side and an additional 1 1/2 minutes on the second, or until both sides are golden brown. As with pancakes, you’ll have to adjust the heat if you find the cakes are browned on the outside before they are thoroughly cooked in the middle. Repeat with the remaining dough. Keep the cakes warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve. Sprinkle with granulated sugar or cinnamon-sugar before serving, if desired.

Crepes

2010-03-29T15:18:00.000-06:00

I thought I posted this a long time ago, but just barely realized I haven't.

Basic Batter recipes:

1 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. butter, melted

I use 2 crepe makers and usually double this recipe. It can be done in a greased small flat pan cooked until bubbles appear.

Another crepe batter recipe:

4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2-3 Tblsp. butter for basting the crepe maker surface (Or use pam)

We like ours most with spray butter and cinnamon sugar.

Alternate Topping Ideas:
diced ham or turkey
green onions
cheddar or Swiss cheese
veggie cream cheese
grilled vegetables

Dessert Topping Ideas:
fresh strawberries, bananas, nutella and whipped cream, sprinkled with powdered sugar.
other fresh fruits - blueberries, apples, raspberries, peaches
cream cheese
caramel sauce
peanut butter (chocolate drizzled on top too)
or delicious w/ just a sprinkle of powdered sugar

Chantilly Potatoes

2010-03-29T14:44:00.000-06:00

*Serves 4 to 6 FOUND HERE

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, chilled
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Place the potatoes in a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave the potatoes on high for 8 to 12 minutes, giving the bowl a shake halfway through, and cooking until the potatoes are tender. Mash the potatoes well with a potato masher (or you can use a potato ricer set over a second large bowl). Cover the potatoes again with plastic wrap and microwave the mashed potatoes until they are heated through, 3 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and stir well.

In a large bowl, beat the chilled cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gently fold 2/3 of the whipped cream into the potatoes with a rubber spatula until the cream is mostly absorbed. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. Carefully spoon the potatoes into the baking dish. They don’t have to be evenly flat on top – you want to take care not to deflate this potato layer. They will look slightly uneven. With a rubber spatula, fold all but 1/4 cup cheese into the remaining cream. Spread the cheese/cream mixture over the potatoes and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

At this point you can either cover the potatoes and refrigerate until baking (I made these the morning before I wanted to serve them). When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the potatoes, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are hot and the top is golden brown. If you are making the potatoes to eat immediately, preheat the broiler and broil the potatoes until the top is golden, 2 to 3 minutes (don’t let them burn!). Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Potatoes with heavy cream, genius

Carrot Sheet Cake

2010-03-29T14:38:00.000-06:00

I'm always in need of recipes using carrots, I have a tendency to always grow more than I know how to use in my garden. Oops! Recipe found HERE

*Serves 16-20
Cake:
4 large eggs
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup applesauce
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 pounds carrots, washed and ends trimmed (they don’t need to be peeled)

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour an 11X17-inch rimmed baking sheet. Shred the carrots, finely, on a box grater or food processor. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, oil, applesauce, water and vanilla. Whisk in the sugar to combine until evenly mixed.

In a second bowl mix flour, spices, salt, soda and baking powder. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until moistened. Gently fold the carrots into the batter until evenly distributed. Bake the cake for 30-32 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely.

For the frosting, mix the cream cheese, vanilla and butter with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the frosting and whip to combine (don’t overmix or the frosting will become too stiff). The frosting should be smooth and creamy.

Banana Carrot Bread

2010-03-29T14:32:00.000-06:00

1 cup mashed bananas (~3 very ripe bananas)

1 cup brown sugar

¾ cup canola oil

2 eggs

2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup finely grated carrots

Combine bananas, brown sugar, salad oil and eggs in mixer. Sift flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together in large bowl. Stir in banana mixture. Fold in carrots. Spoon into greased and floured large loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until done. Do not over bake.

(When made in muffin form, just bake them for 18-20 minutes and check them, and then if necessary check them a few minutes later, etc.)

Found HERE

Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

2010-03-29T14:28:00.000-06:00

This salad sound fabulous, wish I had a big party to take this to right now. FOUND HERE

Salad:
Spinach leaves

Romaine leaves

Grilled chicken, sliced (Best if marinated in Lemon Grilled Chicken Marinade*, but if you don't have time then grill with lots of lemon pepper seasoning)

Red onion, sliced thinly

Crispy bacon, crumbled

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Toasted almonds (or you can sugar the almonds. Put sliced almonds in a pan with lots of granulated sugar (about equal amounts). Cook on medium heat until sugar melts, coating the almonds as they brown.)

*Lemon Grilled Chicken:

Juice of one lemon (~3 Tb lemon juice)

3 Tb oil

1 tsp minced garlic (~2 large cloves)

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

1 lb chicken breasts

Marinate the chicken overnight. For salad, dice the raw chicken and marinate it that way so there is more surface area to marinate. You can get away with marinating for a shorter amount of time this way. Grilling is best, but cooking in a skillet is great, too.

The best part... The Dressing**:

1 1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

2 tsp dry mustard

2/3 cup red wine vinegar

3 Tb Maui or Vidalia onion, chopped

2 cups canola oil

3 Tb poppy seeds

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a blender, then slowly add the oil, blending until thick. Stir in poppy seeds. Toss all ingredients together with generous amount of dressing before serving.

Calico Bean Soup

2010-03-29T14:22:00.000-06:00

I needed a recipe to use up some of my dried beans! (Anyone else buy it for food storage and then don't know many ways to use it so it just sits there?)

1 pound assorted dried beans can use small red, lima, northern, black-eyed peas, split peas, pinto)
2 cans (25-30 ounces approx) diced tomatoes (whatever you have on hand---flavored, Rotel, etc.)
3 tablespoons dried minced onion flakes
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon celery seed (or chop up a bunch of celery if you already have it in the house)
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups broth
4 cups water

The Directions.

Use a 6 quart or larger slow cooker. Soak your beans overnight in enough water to cover completely with another 4 inches or so. Drain well and add to pot. If you don't have time to soak the beans for hours and hours, put them in a large stock pot with a bunch of water and bring to a boil. Boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let your beans sit for an hour, then drain and use.

After the beans are in the slow cooker, add all of the spices and canned tomatoes. Pour in broth and water. Cover and cook on low for 10-20 hours, or until the beans have begun to split and thicken the broth. You can also remove about a cup of beans and blend, then stir back in to thicken the broth nicely (or do a few pulses with a hand mixer!)

Can be served with cheese and sour cream also.

Found HERE

Honey Butter with a twist

2010-03-29T14:11:00.000-06:00

2 cups honey (older is better)
2 sticks butter (softened, not melted)
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon

Combine ingredients until completely mixed and serve!

Found Here

Sweet and Sour Ham

2010-03-29T14:04:00.000-06:00

Have you noticed I'm posting a lot of recipe's lately? I'm working on clearing out my google reader with all the things I have saved and I've also been spending a LOT of time working on updating our family recipe book so I have lots of recipes in my mind lately. Some are recipes I've tried, many are recipes I hope to try soon.

1 lb. Hillshire Farm® Smoked Ham

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

½ cup apricot preserves

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 green bell pepper, cut into 1” pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges each

1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained

Hot cooked rice

1.Cut ham into ¾” cubes; set aside. Combine cornstarch, vinegar, soy sauce and ginger in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Stir in apricot preserves; set aside.

2.Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ham, peppers and onions; cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and pineapple; cook, stirring gently 1 minute.

3.Stir in apricot preserve mixture; bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring gently. Serve over hot cooked rice.

FOUND HERE

Brown Sugar Ham and Beans

2010-03-29T13:57:00.000-06:00

Here is a recipe I'd like to try soon. It sounds real good. Problem is, I've never cooked anything with a ham bone before. I've never bought one either so I don't even know what to look for. Actually, I've never heard of navy beans either, but I'm sure I'll be able to find them in the bean section of the store. Anyone with any suggestions or info about ham bones I'd love to hear what to look for.

1 lb navy beans, soaked overnight

1 meaty ham bone

1 small onion, chopped finely

1 cup cream

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/8 tsp ginger powder

1-2 cups brown sugar (I think 1 cup well packed is plenty!)

Place navy beans and ham bone in crock pot and fill with enough water to cover beans and most of ham bone. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. Add remaining ingredients and cook an additional 2-4 hours. Take bone out and shred remaining meat off bone and add to soup. Serve with a crusty loaf of bread and a salad. Delicious.

Found Here

Nellie's Farmgirl Egg Bake

2010-03-29T13:48:00.000-06:00

I love recipes that are quick and easy to make and don't take much time to prepare.

½ c. butter, melted
10 eggs, beaten
16 oz. cottage cheese (I use fat free.)
16 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
7 oz. chopped green chiles
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ c. all purpose white flour
Drizzle butter evenly into a 13×9” pan.
Combine remaining ingredients; mix well and pour into pan.
Bake, uncovered, at 350ᵒ for 30 minutes.
Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.
Serves 6 – 8

FOUND HERE

Pesto Swiss Fondue

2010-03-29T13:44:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure how many of you are big on Fondue, but we love fondue. I recently bought a book with fondue recipes and find my self itching to try so many. I've also been seeing fondue recipes on food blogs. This is topping my list of the next fondue I want to try.

1 12oz. block of swiss cheese, cubed
2 T flour
2 large garlic cloves, chopped (I used a garlic press)
1/2-3/4 c. of white cooking wine (I used 3/4 c)
1/2 c. milk
2-3 T of jarred prepared pesto

Pesto Recipe: (For those who don't want to buy it.)

¼ c. walnuts
¼ c. pignolis (pine nuts)
3 T. minced garlic (9 cloves)
5 c. fresh basil leaves, packed
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ c. good olive oil (I prefer using 1 1/4 c.)
1 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese

Ideas for dipping: cubed french bread, cauliflower, broccoli, granny smith apples, new potatoes or cubed red potatoes, sausage, red bell peppers

Cube cheeses and chop garlic. Place cubed cheese in a bowl and add flour just enough to lightly coat the cheese. Spray the fondue pot or pan with cooking spray and add the chopped garlic. Cook on medium high until the garlic just begins to brown. (I used the Cuisinart fondue pot and cooked this part on the #2 temperature setting). Then add wine. When the wine begins to boil, reduce the heat back to medium (I kept temp at #2 -3 during this part) and slowly add the flour coated cheese and milk a little at a time, always stirring so it will not burn. As the cheese melts, continue to add the rest of the cheese, again ALWAYS stirring so it will not burn. When the cheese is all fully melted, add the pesto and serve immediately. If you are not using a fondue pot you may need to reheat it after a little while as the fondue will thicken as it cools.

Found HERE

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

2010-03-29T13:38:00.000-06:00

5 lbs. russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
12 Tbs. butter (1 1/2 sticks) softened, additional 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) optional
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/2 to 3/4 cup half and half
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
salt to taste
black pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to a slow boil over medium-high heat.
2. Peel potatoes and rise in cold water. Chop into halves and/or fourths.
3. Add potatoes to the pot. Bring to a full boil and cook for 20-30 min.
4. They are ready when you can slide a fork in with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost but not completely fall apart.
5. Drain in a large colander.
6. Return the potatoes to the pot and turn the heat on low. With a potato masher, mash the potatoes over low heat to allow much of the steam to escape. Continue mashing until all lumps are gone, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
7. Add butter.
8. Add cream cheese.
9. Next add the half and half and stir together.
10. Add seasoned salt, salt, and pepper. Be sure not to underseason.
11. Spread the mashed potatoes in a 2 quart baing dish.
12. If you want you can dot the top with butter slices. At this point you can cover the dish tightly with foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking.
13. When you're ready, preheat the oven to 350, cover with foil, and bake for 25-30 minutes until warmed through.
14. Serve piping hot!

From Pioneer Woman's cook book. (Love it!!)

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

2010-03-29T13:35:00.000-06:00

This is totally the type of food I like.

2 T minced garlic
3 T olive oil
1 lg head cauliflower, washed and seperated into small florets
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 T chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 450. Grease or butter a large casserole dish. Use a stoneware baking sheet from Pampered Chef so you don't have to grease it first.. Place olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower, and shake to mix. Pour into the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with parmesan cheese and parsley and broil for 3 minutes.

Found Here

Potluck slow cooker beans

2010-03-26T15:18:00.002-06:00

1 pound lean ground meat, browned and drained
1 pound smoked bacon, browned, drained, and diced
1 medium onion, diced and browned
1 cup ketchup (no need to brown!)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 (30-ounce) can Pork n' Beans (I love products with the "n" instead of an &)
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can butter beans, drained and rinsed (they look like huge lima beans, and if they aren't in the bean section, try the canned veggie section)
1 tablespoon liquid smoke (yup, it's gluten free!)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart or larger crockpot. This makes a lot.
In a large skillet, brown the hamburger, bacon, and onion. You could probably do this all together, but I did the bacon separately (and woah, mama. pork bacon spatters *way* more than turkey bacon, but it tastes a whole lot better, so I sort of got over it rather quickly. for me. I hate spattery messes.)

While the meats and onion are browning, add the rest of the ingredients into the slow cooker. No need to really stir things up quite yet, or the beans will fall apart. Drain the meats well, and dump into the slow cooker. Use a large spoon to gingerly fold in the hot ingredients.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10

FOUND HERE

Pear Walnut Sandwiches

2010-03-26T15:16:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

1/2 cup (4 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese
8 (1.1-ounce) slices cinnamon-raisin bread, toasted
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted
2 Bartlett pears, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup alfalfa sprouts

Preparation

1. Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese evenly over each of 8 bread slices. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon walnuts evenly over each of 4 bread slices. Top each evenly with pear slices, sprouts, and 1 bread slice. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally.

photo and recipe - Cooking Light

Creamy Vanilla Pudding

2010-03-26T15:10:00.000-06:00

1/3 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2 c. milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 T. margarine or butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla

Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in a 2 quart saucepan. Stir in milk gradually. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir at least half of the hot mixture gradually into egg yolks. Blend into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir one minute. Remove from heat; stir in margarine and vanilla. Pour into dessert dishes. Cool slightly and serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 4 servings.

FOUND HERE

Graham Crakers

2010-03-26T11:46:00.000-06:00

1 cup (4 ounces) King Arthur Traditional Whole Wheat Flour or Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) vegetable oil
1/4 cup (3 ounces) honey
2 to 3 tablespoons (1 to 1 1/2 ounces) milk (approx.)
additional milk for glaze
cinnamon-sugar (optional)

In a mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking powder. In a separate bowl, beat egg till light, then add oil, honey and 2 tablespoons milk. Stir into dry ingredients until you have a fairly stiff dough, adding additional milk if necessary. Wrap dough in waxed paper and chill until firm, about 1 hour (or longer, if it's more convenient).

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead gently until it holds together. Roll dough out till it's about 1/16-inch thick; make sure rolling surface is well-floured, or you'll have trouble transferring crackers to baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 375°F.

Cut dough into 3-inch squares, prick each square several times with a fork, and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Brush the tops with milk, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar if you're so inclined, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crackers are lightly browned. Remove crackers from oven, transfer to a wire cooling rack, and cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen graham crackers.

Found Here

Heather's Happy Haven

Laundry Soap Recipe

This isn't a food recipe, but one I want to remember and try.

Laundry Soap Recipe:

A box of borax, washing soda, baking soda, 3 bars of Fels Naptha, 2 small containers of oxiclean.(grate the Fels Naptha bars with a cheese grater) & mix all together. Use a large 5 gallon bucket, it makes it easier.

Carmelized Acorn Squash

Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce

½ of an Orange

2 Cups Water1 Granny Smith Apple

3 Cups Fresh Cranberries1 ¼ Cups Sugar

¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves ½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Cranberry Salad

Cranberry Salsa

Hot Cranberry Drink

Ingredients:2 Quarts Apple Cider6 Cups Cranberry Juice ¼ Cup Sugar5-6 Cinnamon SticksPreparation: Pour all ingredients in a stock pot and bring to a boil. Serve in a glass and enjoy the holiday season.

Canning Apple Sauce

How to Make Homemade Applesauce

Directions for Making Applesauce

Ingredients and Equipment

Recipe and Directions

Step 1 - Selecting the apples

Step 2 - How many apples and where to get them

Step 3 - Wash the jars and lids

Step 4 -Wash and chop the apples!

Step 5 - Cook the Apples

Step 6 - Sieve the cooked apples

NOTE for those on a VERY tight budget or making just a small batch of applesauce

Step 7 - Season and keep the applesauce hot

Step 8 - Fill the jars and process them in the water bath

Step 9 - Remove and cool the jars - Done

Apple Juice Canning

Directions for Making Apple Juice

Ingredients and Equipment

Recipe and Directions

Step 1 - Selecting the apples

Step 2 - How many apples and where to get them

Step 3 - Wash the jars and lids

Step 4 -Wash and chop the apples!

Step 5 - Cook the Apples

Step 6 - Sieve the cooked apples

Step 7 - Heat the apple juice

Step 8 - Fill the jars and process them in the water bath

Step 9 - Remove and cool the jars - Done

Crockpot Pizza Soup

Crockpot Nacho Dip

Orange Yogurt Pancakes

Sweet and Sour Pasta Salad

Choke Cherry Syrup

Pork With Apples and Pears

Apple Turnovers

Carmel Apples

Individual Apple Tart Tatin

Cranberry Apple Bake

Apple Cider Drumsticks

Turkey and Apple Salad

Apple Betty

Apple Meatball Kabobs

Sweet Baked Apples

Baked Savory Apples

Apple Pasta Salad

Apple Chicken Quesadilla with Tomato Corn Salas

Harvest Soup

Hasselback (Accordian) Potatoes

Variations

Smoothies

Peanut Butter Balls

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Wedding Water

Milky Way Cake

Found Here

Ingredients

Preparation Instructions

Nana Candy's Caramel Popcorn

Heavenly Buttermilk Syrup

Divine Caramel Sauce

Caramel Apple Cider Crockpot Recipe

Homemade Egg Noodles

Crockpot Beef Stew

Chinese Chicken Salad

Aebleskivers - and Variations

2 Cups Water
1 Granny Smith Apple

3 Cups Fresh Cranberries
1 ¼ Cups Sugar

¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Ingredients:
2 Quarts Apple Cider
6 Cups Cranberry Juice
¼ Cup Sugar
5-6 Cinnamon Sticks

Preparation:
Pour all ingredients in a stock pot and bring to a boil. Serve
in a glass and enjoy the holiday season.